Combination lock



Dec. 16, 1952 Q A, HAGE 2,621,509

COMBINATION LOCK Filed March 29, 1949 Patented Dee. 1e, 1952 COMBINATION LOCK Olof Alfred Hage, Lerum, Sweden Application March 29, 1949, Serial No. 84,042 In Sweden January 13, 1949 8 Claims.

The present invention refers to combination locks for safes for instance of the type shown in the U. S. Patent No. 2,104,516. The object of the invention is to improve the eiciency of combination locks and simplify the construction, thus reducing the possibility of incorrectnesses.

In locks of said type the lock spindle extends through the door and the tumblers of the lock are turned by means of an arm or the like at# tached to the spindle. When adjusting the tumblers for unlocking the lock, notches in the tumblers are brought into position underneath a cross bar which cross bar being swung into said notches permits a free displacement inwardly of the bolt. y

ent upon the exact arrangement of many parts.

This is an inconvenience which has been reduced by the present invention, by which the lock construction has been simplied, the moving of the parts rendered more quiet and the function more steady and sure.

The invention is principally characterized by the provision in a lock of said type of such a combination of the tumblers and their drivers that the tumblers and drivers are coupled laterally in pairs and rotatably mounted in a row on one and the same bearing.

The invention is specifically characterizedV by the provision of disengageable means coupling the tumblers and drivers in pairs so they can move together during a locked controlling operation and includes means mounting the tumblers for displacement transversely of the axis of the drivers to uncouple the tumblers and drivers permitting movement of the drivers relative to the tumblers whenever the combination of a lock is to be changed.

In the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. Figs. 1-3 show an inner lock device with appertaining parts adapted for provision at the inner side of the door. Fig. 1 is a View of the device viewed from the inner side of the door with the lock in locked position, the cover plate and the outermost washer around the spindle being removed. Fig. 2 is a section on line II-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, the parts of the lock being adjusted to unlock the lock, with only such parts designated which have altered positions with reference to their positions in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side view on a reduced scale of a tumbler and its mounting means, Fig. 5 a cross section thereof on the line V-V in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is an end view thereof.

The housing includes a bottom or base plate I provided with holes 2 for screws that secure the bottom plate to the inside of the door, and side walls 3 and 4 with slots that receive cover plates 5 and- I. Thevbottom plate I is formed with a H hub 'I and is provided with bosses 8, 9, III, II on the inside.

.On thebottom plate I is arranged a vertically movable slide I2. This slide has three extending legs I3, I4, |5at the side of each other, of which the two outermost I3, I5 are directed upwards and the middle one I4 bent to axial direction relative to the hub l. A pin I6 is attached to the slide. The slide is guided by thebosses II), II as well as vby the hub 'I which is lsituated between the legs I3, I5. l

Against the slidel I2 rests a returning member for the tumblers, said member being rotatably mounted on the hub 1. The returning member has the shape of a disk II with a radial arm I8 which is bent to axial direction. The disk I'I consists of two half circle segments, the one half circle of such a small radius that the leg I4 of the slide I2 is of no hindrance for the turning of the returning member as to be seen in Fig. l.

The blocking parts of the lock are the tumblers, the construction of which is clearly to be seen in Figs. 4 6. Each tumbler consists of an outer ring I9 and an associated inner mounting .ring 2B, the outer ring is rotatably mounted on theinner ring and the inner ring movably mounted on the .hub 'I which passes through a central oblong opening 2l therein. This opening, which is ,elongated downwards provides that the inner ringwith the outer ring thereon can be displaced transversely.

of the hub or bearing axis and this movementv is upwards in reference to the hub. This transverse displacement is to be eiected when the lock is to be adjusted for a new combination. v In order to make this displacement possible the leg I4 of the slide I2 is inserted through additional aperture 22 in each inner mounting ring. The operation for changing the combination will be describedin detail hereinafter.

The tumbler rings which constitute each of the.v

provided between the arms is a toothed cir1 e segment 3I with serrations dening teeth Yand* tooth spaces 32. The portion of each driver ope posite said toothed segment has the shape of another segment of such a small radius that'the leg I4 of the slide I2 is of no hindrance during the turning of each driver a certain angle. Y

Intermediate washers 31 are mounted on the hub, I .at both sidesof the tumblers between the tumblers and thedrivers and have theshapeof circular disks 4The lee Y I4 `of the Slide I2, extends through a rectangular aperture v3%!` in eachwasher preventing themirorn being turned, and the aperture has the same width as ,theleg but isoi such a great height that the movement .of the slide andthe leg upwardly is not blocked'.V IIhe outermost washer has the upper edge cutoff vso that Vthe tooth spaces in the outermost vtooth segment 3'I `can be seen at the mounting of the lockl ontov the door.

.'rhetopthlofe A @fthe *090th Spaces ,3210i the.. 10 freseguidingodriver-4 Inl such a waythe tumblers and .the drivers. are coupled in pairs and are rotatably mounted on thesame centre. In the embodiment shownthe tumblers and thedrivers are coupledlat'erally in pairs rotatably mounted in a row on a common bearing constituted by the -hub 1. The washer 31 betweenthe tumbler and its driver is situated inthe space 28.

To move the tumblers in order to displace them by mean'sof thedrivers an angular arm 3Q provided ywith an inwardly directed radial projece tion `4I is by means of a Central sleeve 4 0 insorted, into the hub l and mountedonthelock spindleAZ, the sleevebeing attachedthereto by a pin 43 orin any other, suitable way.I

The .lockbolt 44 is situated in the upper portion of-.the lock housing and is constituted by4 the? inner iiange of an UTshaped bar the other flange of `which serves for the operation of the bolt. Said bolt is movable in an opening il@k in thesi'de wall 4 and guided in a channel inthe bosses 8, 9., It is held in horizontal position by the'cover plate 5. 'I he boltv is provided .with a Z-shaped aperture 4] with two inclined edges 48, 49. The ange ,5 of the bolt abuts against the1 side wall 4 and limits in such a waythe outward movement of the bolt and this ange 45 is provided with a notch 5U.

A rnemberl is'monnt'ed for a verticalstra'ight lined movement between the bosses4 3 ande. The vlower portionof the member has aseme- What reducedthickness and constitutesY aV cross bar, 5 2 situated above" all of the tumb1ers. ,The

member` 5I is provided with a boring for a pin 53 which extends through the aperture-i1 of the lock b'oltM. The cross bar 52 receives its vertical movement by means of the inclined edges 48, 43 when the lock bolt 44 is moved horizontally.

A bottom slide 54 rests slidably on the lower cover plate@ and two extensions 55, 5,5 iromthe rear edge of said slide underlie the bosses I8; I I.

il ,tumbler .meshes 'iv-itil ,one

The ends or the bottom slide and a portion of the rear edge thereof are bent upwards constituting flanges 5l, 58, 59. The ange 5B of the rear edge is provided with a Z-shaped aperture @il with inclined edges 6I, 62. The walls of this Z-shaped aperture thereby constituting a direction controlling track. The foremost edge of the bottom slide 54de guided by guides 63, Bil, A pin I5 attached to the vertical slide I2 extends through the aperture GS so that the vertical slide I2 receives a vertical movement when the bottom slide 5d `is moved horizontally.

-The lock portion situated on the outside of the door to manipulate the lock spindle is not lshwn in the drawing as the spindle is operated thev spindle the pr ojectiQn il will catch the drivers and bringthetunibler rings i9 to their right positions. After thelast axial step the projectiQn.. I Ai s' i:nfought into coaction with the lock bolt to Amove Vthe same. v

A'I'h'e unlocking of -the lock will be carried thrqiiehiri the following, manner.

1-Treni ,the lockedpositiorlas Semin Fie 1 Athe soind1e42is-drawn yOutrenis als. iai' .asrossible smith@ meridione! ,ofthe angular arm will then, be brought lto stop'in' the front ofthe arm 3@ ,of .the innermost. (inverti. The spindieis new turned counterclockwise inY Fig. l and the projection 4l will catch andmove the arm 38. The outer, tumbler ring I9 coupled to the corresponding tooth segment of the driver will participate in this turning, so that the notch23 of the tumbler ring will be brought into position beneath the cross bar 52 when the turningis stopped by a blocking device of the outer lock not shown. At the beginning of the. movement of `said d riveri the. arm 35 opposite the arm 36 and belonging to the same driver 3S has engaged the ,arm rIt of the returning member I'I and moved the returning member the same turning angle'. The spindle 'is now turned clockwise in Fig. 1 and pushed inwardly one axial step, sc that `the projection @I is brought into position in the front of the armtl of the next driver 3 I, Yand the movement described above is repeated and then repeated as many times as the number of the tumblers, thus bringing the notches 23 of all of the tumblers linto position beneath the cross bar 52, if the right combination has been used. In the case that an incorrect combination has been, used one or more of the notches 23 are not placed beneath the cross bar. After the last movement of the spindle the projection di of the angular arm 39 will have passed all the tumblersa'sseen in Fig. 2.

After the last axial movement the spindle is turned r,coun terclockwise in Fig. 1, so that the angular arm 38 catches the notch 5i! of the flange 45 and drivesthe iiange with the lock bolt 44 inwards, whereat the inclined edge 43 forces the pin 53 downwards together with the cross bar 52.' If all the notches 23 are in right position beneath the cross bar 52 the downward movement is not blocked and the movement of the bolt is carried through to unlocked position.- If however one or more of the notches 23 are' not directly beneath said cross bar, as will be the case ifV an incorrect combination has been used, the downward movement of the cross bar 52 is blocked and the inward movement of the bolt is checked.

The locking of the lock is carried through in the following way.

In the unlocked position of the lock as seen in Fig. 3 the angular arm 39 has its projection 4I inserted into the notch 5B of the lock bolt 44. The spindle is now turned clockwise and at this movement the lock bolt 44 is pushed outwards and the edge 48 of the bolt will lift the pin 53 and therewith the cross bar 52 up out of notches 23, so that the tumbler rings I 9 are freed. At the continued turning the angular arm 39 catches the arm I8 of the returning member Il so that this member successively abuts against the arms 35, 33 and 29 and turns all the drivers 3l as well as the tumbler rings I 9 coupled thereto back to the initial position. This movement is stopped when the arms 29, 33 and 35 engage against the boss 8, and the lock is locked as shown in Fig. 1.

The adjustment of the lock for a new combination is carried through in the following manner.

From the unlocked position of the lock in Fig. 3 the spindle is turned until the lock bolt 44 has reached the position in Fig. 1. Thus the cross bar 52 has been lifted out of the notches 23, but these are yet situated beneath the cross bar. Now the flange 51 with the bottom slide 54 is pushed to the left until the flange is stopped by the side wall 3. During this movement the inclined aperture edge 6I in the flange 58 of the bottom slide has lifted the pin I6 and thus also the vertical slide I2 attached thereto. This lifting movement causes the tumblers to move vertically as the leg I4 of the vertical slide isv in'- serted through the mounting rings 2D of the tumblers, with the'result that the teeth 24 of the tumbler outer rings IS of the tumblers are disengaged from the tooth spaces 32 of the drivers 3l. The spindle now is turned in the direction for the locking of the lock and by this movement the drivers 3l with their tooth segments and arms are brought into the position shown in Fig. 1, but the tumbler outer rings I9 have not been turned.

Now the lock is operated in the same way as when unlocking the lock and the new combination is used. After this adjustment of the drivers and their tooth segments the flange 59 with the bottom slide 54 is pushed to the right until the ange is stopped by the side wall 4 as shown in Fig. 1. During this movement the pin I5 has been forced downwards by the inclined edge 62, so that the vertical slide I2 has been lowered until it has reached the lower position in Fig. 1, and the teeth 24 of the tumbler outer rings have again been engaged to the tooth spaces 32. The lock is now adjusted for the new combination. When the lock then is locked the armsV 29, 33, 35 turn each tumbler ring I9 and their notches 23 a certain angle, and to unlock the lock each arm'30, 34, 35 must be turned exactly the corresponding angle, and'these angles are defined by thev new combination. I

The details of the arrangement may. obviously be subjected to different modications within the scope of the appended claims. Each tumber ring can be provided with more than one tooth. For the lifting of the tumblers other means can be used than the slides described above, and the lock bolt can be pushed into position by another element than the angular arm 39.

It is therefore clear that the present invention provides in the broader aspect and in a, combination lock of the type in which a movable bolt controlling pin is cooperable with alignable gates or notches in tumblers, a tumbler and driver arrangement that includes a xed hollow bearing, a plurality of axially aligned tumblers having the gate defining notches therein surrounding the bearing, a plurality of drivers are Vrotatably mountedl on the bearing in alternating relationship with the tumblers and means are provided that mount the tumblers for rotation about the bearing. The aforedescribed tooth engagement between the tooth 24 and the selected tooth on the adjacent driver constitute disengageable means that laterally couple the tumblers Aand drivers in pairs and an axially and rotatably movable spindle that is coaxially positioned with respect to the bearing and includes an arm means extending therefrom and cooperable with the arms on the drivers for moving the drivers and thereby the tumblers coupled thereto in a lock controlling operation. The mounting means provide for transverse movement of the tumblers relative to the drivers so that the coupling means can be disengaged permitting the drivers to rotate relative to the tumblers when it is desired to change the combination of the lock. As disclosed in the drawing the tumbler and drive arrangement also includes the slide arm I4 which passes through the aligned additional apertures 22 in the mounting rings so that when this slide is displaced all of the mounting rings and tumblers are moved transversely of the axis of the bearing to disengage the toothed engagement. Each of the drivers are segmental in plan and includes one circumferential edge that is so spaced with respect to the axis of the hub that the movement of the arm I4 with the movement of the slide is not blocked by this edge of each driver. The diametrically extending arms on each driver extend from the opposite terminal ends 'from the circumferential edge and it is clear that these arms are movable through arcs on opposite sides of the arm I4 and swing responsive to manipulation of the spindle. Additionally-it is to be noted that a second slide member having a Z-shaped aperture therein, the walls of which define direction controlling track, is mounted for movement transversely of the axis and direction of movement of the rst slide member so that a pin carried by the rst slide that extends within the aperture of the second slide is displaced responsive to transverse movement of the second slide and the displacement of this pin eiecting corresponding displacement of the first slide and its arm I4 together with the mounting means for the tumblers and the tumblers to disengage the toothed engagement connecting the tumblers and drivers in pairs permitting manipulation of the drivers while the tumblers remain stationary in order to change the point of re-engagement of the tumblers with the drivers upon reverse manipulation of the slides so that the combination of the lock can be changed.l

What I claim is: I

l. In a combination lock of the type in Awhich a movable bolt controlling fence is cooperable with alignable gates in tumblers, a tumbler and driver arrangement including a xed hollow bearing, a plurality of tumblers having gate dening notches therein surrounding said bearing, a plurality of drivers rotatably mounted on said bearing in alternating relationship with said tumblers, means mounting the tumblers for rotation about the bearing, means laterally coupling the tumblers and drivers in pairs, an axially and rotatably movable spindle coaxially positioned with respect to said bearing and having an arm extended therefrom cooperable with said drivers for selectively moving the drivers and thereby the tumblers coupled thereto in a lock controlling operation, and said mounting means including means providing for transverse movement of the tumblers relative to the drivers to disengage the coupling means coupling the tumblers and drivers in pairs so that the drivers can be rotated relative to the tumblers for changing the combination of the lock.

2. A tumbler and driver arrangement for a combination lock as denned in and by claim l in which the coupled tumblers and drivers constitute pairs of members and teeth extending from one member of each pair, the other member of each pair having teeth receiving apertures therein and said teeth detachably engaging said apertures.

3. A tumbler and driver arrangement for a combination lock as defined in and by claim 2 in which the teeth extend from the tumblers, the drivers have the teeth receiving apertures therein and means for transversely moving the means mounting the tumblers so that the teeth on the tumblers can be disengaged from the apertures in the drivers,

4. A tumbler and driver arrangement for a combination lock as defined in and by claim 1 in which each tumbler comprises an outer ring and said mounting means comprising an inner ring, said inner ring having an oblong aperture in the center thereof, said inner rings being mounted on said bearing and said outer rings being rotatably mounted on said inner rings and shiftable means cooperable with said inner rings and in one position holding the same stationary while permitting rotation of the outer rings relative to the inner rings and when shifted transversely displacing the inner rings and the outer rings mounted thereon.

5, A tumbler and driver arrangement for a combination lock as deiined in and by claim 4 in which the inner rings each have an additional aperture therein, said apertures being aligned with each other, said shiftable means including a slide member mounted for movement transversely of the axis of said bearing, a leg extending from said slide member in a direction parallel With the axis of said hearing and through said aligned apertures in the inner rings whereby movement of said slide transversely of the axis of said bearing displaces the inner ring and thereby the tumblers.

6. In a combination loci; a housing, a hub extending inwardly from one wall of said housing and terminating within the housing, a spindle coaxially disposed within said hub and rotatably and axially movable with respect thereto, an angular arm extending radially of said spindle and including two legs, one extending parallel with the axis of the spindle toward the wall of the housing from which the hub extends, the other leg constituting a radial extension of the spindle and having such length as to dispose the rstmentioned leg in substantial spaced relation With respect to the hub, a plurality of tumblers having gate defining notches therein surrounding said hub, a plurality of drivers rotatably mounted on said hub, Said tumblers and drivers constituting disc members and being disposed in lateral alternating relationship on said hub, mounting means for mounting the tumblers for rotation S, about said hub, disengageable means laterally coupling the tumblers and drivers in pairs, said mounting means constituting ring members having oblong central apertures therein mounting the same on said hub, said central apertures permitting displacement of the ring members and tumblers transversely of the axis of the hub, said ring members having additional aligned apertures therein each having an inner wall, said drivers being segmental in plan and including a circumferential edge so spaced with respect to the axis of the hub as to be inward of the inner wall of said additional apertures in the ring members, said edge having opposite terminal ends, a slide member slidably mounted on the said wall of the housing for movement transversely with respect to the axis of the hub, said slide member having an arm extending outwardly thereof parallel with the said axis of the spindle and passing through the aligned additional apertures in the ring members so that movement of the slide member transversely of the hub moves said ring members and tumblers relative to the drivers to disengage the coupling means between the drivers and the tumblers to permit changing the combination of the tumblers, said drivers having diametrically extending arms projecting outwardly thereof, from the opposite terminal ends of said circumferential edge, the opposite arms of .each driver being movable through respective arcs on opposite sides of said arm on the slide member, and the arc described by said circumferential edge of each driver being inward of the limit of movement of Said'arm on the slide member so that displacement of the arm extending from the side member and thereby displacement of the tumblers is not blocked by the drivers, and a lug carried by the said leg of the said angular arm that is parallel to the axis of the hub, said lug projecting toward the axis of the spindle and having such length as to cross an are described by the outer ends of the arms extending from the drivers, so that said lug is selectively cooperable and engageable with the arms of the drivers for displacing the same and thereby the tumblers coupled therewith upon selective axial and rotary movement of said spindle.

'7. In a combination lock as defined in and by claim 6 wherein each said ring member comprises an inner ring having the oblong central aperture therein movably mounting the same on said hub in a manner permitting transverse movement relative to the hub and each said tumbler comprises an outer ring rotatably mounted onl said inner ring, a portion of said outer ring being displaced so as to lie in a plane spaced from and parallel with the plane containing said inner ring, said displaced portion having a notch extending inwardly of the perimeter thereof to denne a gate and said displaced portion further having a tooth extending inwardly thereof with the axis of the tooth being the same as the axis of the notch, each said driver comprising an apertured segmental disc having serrations on a portion of the circumference thereof constituting teeth selectively engageable by the tooth on the displaced portion of said outer ring, said toothed engagement constituting the disengageable means for coupling the tumblers and drivers laterally in pairs and the movement of said inner rings and thereby the tumblers transverse of the axis of said hurb disengaging the teeth on the tumblers from the teeth on the drivers to permit rotation of the drivers relative to the outer rings whenever the combination of the lock is to be changed.

8. In a combination lock as defined in and by REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number l0 Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Brettell Dec. 16, 1873 Murphy Oct. 13, 1908 Esola Aug. 1, 1916 Benham et al. July 6, 1920 Hage July 31, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 19, 1934 

